Senate to invite CBN gov over N30trn Ways and Means loan

The Senate Ad-hoc Committee probing the N30tn Ways and Means loans to the Federal Government has discovered 13 infractions in the process of obtaining the loan.

The Senate also disclosed that it would summon the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso.

This came to the fore when the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Isah Jibrin (Kogi East) and other members of the committee met with officials of the CBN at the National Assembly on Tuesday.

The team of CBN officials was led by Bala Bello.

The ad-hoc committee is probing the disbursement and usage of the N30 trillion Ways and Means loan obtained during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari from the CBN.

Jibrin said the former governor of the CBN, Godwin Emefiele, unilaterally signed billions of naira in the approval of different tranches of the loan without following due process.

The Kogi lawmaker stated that Emefiele illegally signed billions of naira in 13 documents.

The committee chairman said Emefiele ought to have approved the loans in conjunction with the CBN board of directors but the latter unilaterally signed the loans which was contrary to the provisions of the CBN Act.

Jibrin said, “The committee of governors ought to be the signatories to the Ways and Means account but in the document we have here, the governor signed billions of naira in about 13 places.

“We want to know the total figure of the Ways and Means. We want to know the summation of the figure.”

The committee chairman further noted that documents available to him on the Anchors Borrowers Programme implemented by former President Buhari’s administration indicated that about 70 per cent of the programme has been executed, leaving 30 per cent.

He said, “On the Anchor Borrowers Programme, you have done well. You did about 70 per cent but we must ensure the completion of the remaining 30 per cent.”

Jibrin, however, informed them that the committee will summon the CBN governor, Cardoso, to give a detailed account of what he knew about the Ways and Means.

“Your governor who took over from Emefiele, should be able to stand for Emefiele because he took over from him including his assets.

“Emefiele should provide an explanation to the existing governor. We will invite the governor and in case he does not have a response, he will contact Emefiele,” he added.